This application relates to methods and apparatus for loading, holding, processing, and un-loading of substrates in deposition systems.
Methods and apparatus for loading, holding, processing, and un-loading of substrates in deposition systems are widely used in photovoltaic cells and panels, window glass coating, flat panel display manufacturing, coating on flexible substrates, hard disk coating, industrial surface coating, semiconductor wafer processing, and other applications.
Substrates are mounted to substrate carriers in some applications to increase the amount of substrates that can be processed at a time, or to accommodate the ways deposition equipment handle substrates.
It is necessary to hold the substrate without damaging the substrates; especially the substrates such as the silicon photovoltaic cells can be very thin and fragile. It is desirable to have no contact on the deposition side of the substrate to avoid shadowing of the deposition and particulates formation.
In some cases it is desirable to avoid deposition on edges and sides of substrate. Shadow masks are used in some cases. It is desirable to have low cost mask alignment system that can be easily implemented by robots. It is also desirable to load as many substrates to a given area. The substrate handling should be easily performed by either human or robots, including self-aligning and placement error correction. The substrate handling logistics should be simple and cost effective. The substrate handling system should accommodate all substrate mounting orientations relative to gravitational force.